Single mothers, think twice before you put down that father’s name

A mother and child doing homework. The High Court on May 26, 2016 ruled that women can now submit names of the fathers of their children, born outside wedlock and without need of paternal consent, to the Registrar of Births and Deaths. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • You will never be able to make any decisions about your child’s affairs without his consent.

  • A majority of embassies will not issue a visa without a letter from the listed father that he has consented to the trip.

  • Decisions about healthcare, education among others all have consequences when you include his name.

O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,

And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.

This is from one of the most famous plays in the world, William Shakespeare’s epic Romeo and Juliet.

Studying this in high school I was surprised to learn that “wherefore art thou Romeo” was not Juliet asking about the whereabouts of her love but enquiring as to why his surname was that of a family that was sworn enemies of her ilk.

Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.

What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part

Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What’s in a name? That which we call a rose.

By any other name would smell as sweet.

HIGH COURT RULING

What’s in a name, indeed. The High Court has ruled that women can now submit names of the fathers of their children, born outside wedlock and without need of paternal consent, to the Registrar of Births and Deaths.

Section 12 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, requiring consent, only previously came to play on late registration.

Meaning, if you gave birth and immediately listed the name of the father in hospital, it was fine.

But, wait a few months and you needed his consent. Now, consent is not necessary.

Some single mothers might be happy about this, but before you list that man’s name on your child’s birth certificate, consider a few things.

First, be clear that you will never be able to make any decisions about your child’s affairs without his consent.

Let’s say you want to travel with your child outside the country.

A majority of embassies will not issue a visa without a letter from the listed father that he has consented to the trip.

Decisions about healthcare, education among others all have consequences when you include his name.

I’ll give you another example. Your child is applying to universities abroad.

If it is a Needs Blind university (meaning whether or not you can afford the tuition does not factor into the decision for admission) your finances don’t come into play.

Thereafter, (because your child is awesome) they want him/her.

But they require you to demonstrate why you cannot pay. So you truthfully list your income on the Financial Aid forms and wait for assistance.

Do you know what they will ask for? The father’s financial records. You will state “Not Applicable”. They will ask – Is he dead? What do you say? You have listed him on the birth certificate.

If he is alive they will not give you the financial aid without his financial records that, if you are not on talking terms, he will never provide.

I advise single mothers never to put his name on the birth certificate if he is not actively involved in your child’s upbringing. It will come back to haunt you.

If you want to compel him, through the children’s court, to contribute financially, a mere name on a birth certificate does not prove paternity. A DNA test does.